editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Arnie Seipel delivers weather forecasts five times daily on NPR Berlin. He is also a producer for NPRs coverage of U.S. elections. Arnie previously worked as a production assistant with the promotions department at NPR, as well as the live events unit. He worked on NPRs Talk of the Nation before that. Arnies career in broadcasting began at CBS News where he was an intern for CBSNews.com. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Government and Politics in 2008.NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Arnie SeipelTue, 18 Jul 2017 05:22:00 +0000Arnie Seipelhttp://wdiy.org
Arnie SeipelRepublican Health Care Bill Falls Short, Dealing Blow To Trump Agendahttp://wdiy.org/post/republican-health-care-bill-falls-short-dealing-blow-trump-agenda
95205 as http://wdiy.orgTue, 18 Jul 2017 03:39:00 +0000Republican Health Care Bill Falls Short, Dealing Blow To Trump AgendaArnie SeipelUpdated 3:30 p.m. ET With their health care bill facing a perilous path, Senate Republican leaders have decided to push off a vote until after Congress returns from next week's July Fourth recess, GOP aides confirm to NPR's Susan Davis. "We're still working toward getting at least 50 people in a comfortable place," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday at a press conference on Capitol Hill. Despite the delay, McConnell confirmed that Republican senators were heading to the White House to meet with President Trump later in the afternoon to continue work on the issue. If three Republicans oppose the bill, it cannot pass. The GOP holds 52 seats, with Vice President Pence as a potential tiebreaker. The delay was announced with at least five Republicans indicating they were against bringing the bill to the floor this week. "Several of them want more time," McConnell said. "We have a number of different discussions going on, that have been going on for six weeks. They continue.Senate GOP Leaders Push Off Health Care Vote Until After July 4thhttp://wdiy.org/post/trump-pence-lobby-senate-health-care-bill-prospects-appear-dim
94215 as http://wdiy.orgTue, 27 Jun 2017 17:05:00 +0000Senate GOP Leaders Push Off Health Care Vote Until After July 4thArnie SeipelUpdated at 6:37 p.m. ET Less than a month after President Trump hired an outside lawyer to deal with inquiries related to the Russia investigations, Vice President Pence has followed suit. Pence's office confirms he has hired Richard Cullen, who served as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia during the term of George H.W. Bush and later worked on George W. Bush's legal team during the 2000 Florida recount. An aide tells NPR that the decision to hire an outside lawyer has been under consideration for weeks, and Pence decided to go forward with it earlier this week. The vice president's communications director, Jarrod Agen, said in a statement, "I can confirm that the Vice President has retained Richard Cullen of McGuire Woods to assist him in responding to inquiries by the special counsel. "The Vice President is focused entirely on his duties and promoting the President's agenda and looks forward to a swift conclusion of this matter," he added. Pence has not come under anyVice President Pence Hires Outside Lawyer To Deal With Russia Inquirieshttp://wdiy.org/post/vice-president-pence-hires-outside-lawyer-deal-russia-inquiries
93634 as http://wdiy.orgThu, 15 Jun 2017 22:38:00 +0000Vice President Pence Hires Outside Lawyer To Deal With Russia InquiriesArnie Seipelhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1vfx5gT5FA Television viewers were confused and concerned when Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., took his turn to question former FBI Director James Comey Thursday — and McCain has now responded. The senator started his questioning of Comey by walking through the timeline of the FBI's investigation of Hillary Clinton's emails, which Comey confirmed was closed in July, and then asked how the FBI could have concluded that matter while the investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election was ongoing. "I'm a little confused, Senator," was Comey's response. McCain went on: "At the same time you made the announcement there would be no charges brought against then-Secretary Clinton for any activities involved in the Russia involvement in our engagement, in our election. I don't quite understand how you could be done with that but not done with the whole investigation to affect the outcome of our election." The Arizona Republican, serving his sixth term in theMcCain Explains Iffy Performance During Comey Hearing http://wdiy.org/post/mccain-explains-iffy-performance-during-comey-hearing
93257 as http://wdiy.orgThu, 08 Jun 2017 20:06:00 +0000McCain Explains Iffy Performance During Comey Hearing Arnie Seipelhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ceCaFCG2j8 Fired FBI Director James Comey may tell the Senate Intelligence Committee next week that President Trump suggested he ease off at least part of the FBI's Russia investigation. But a month ago, he said this to the Senate Judiciary Committee: "I'm talking about a situation where we were told to stop something for a political reason, that would be a very big deal. It's not happened in my experience." Why did Comey say he has never been asked to stop an investigation for political reasons after that conversation with Trump? Some writers on the Internet, particularly Comey critics, have a couple of simple explanations — the memos are fake or he perjured himself in front of Congress. But there's more context. Here is the full exchange from the Judiciary Committee hearing, when Comey was being questioned by Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii. HIRONO: So if the attorney general or senior officials at the Department of Justice opposes a specificDid James Comey Lie About Interference In The Russia Investigation? http://wdiy.org/post/did-james-comey-lie-about-interference-russia-investigation
92939 as http://wdiy.orgFri, 02 Jun 2017 10:00:00 +0000Did James Comey Lie About Interference In The Russia Investigation? Arnie SeipelUpdated at 3:20 p.m. ET White House communications director Michael Dubke has resigned. Dubke offered his resignation on May 18, prior to President Trump's overseas trip to the Middle East and Europe. He is still working at the White House and has not set a departure date yet. Dubke, 47, had been a behind-the-scenes player who helped manage the White House communications strategy, including the aftermath of President Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey. Before joining the White House in February, he had been a Republican strategist and founder of Crossroads Media. In a statement, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus thanked Dubke for his service. "We appreciate Mike and are very grateful for his service to President Trump and our country," Priebus said, adding Dubke "offered to remain on board until a transition is concluded." Dubke's resignation could be the forerunner of a larger staff shake-up in the administration. Reports have circulated that Trump may bring in trustedAmid Rumors Of Staff Shake-Up, White House Communications Director Resigns http://wdiy.org/post/white-house-communications-director-resigns
92762 as http://wdiy.orgTue, 30 May 2017 12:57:00 +0000Amid Rumors Of Staff Shake-Up, White House Communications Director Resigns Arnie SeipelUtah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, announced that he will not run for re-election in 2018 and will not seek any public office next year. Chaffetz wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday morning, "I am healthy. I am confident I would continue to be re-elected by large margins. I have the full support of Speaker Ryan to continue as Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. That said, I have made a personal decision to return to the private sector." As oversight chairman, Chaffetz led investigations into the Secret Service and Planned Parenthood in recent years. He has faced pressure from protesters in his home district and federal watchdogs for not pursuing investigations into the Trump administration more forcefully. Chaffetz told NPR's Morning Edition in February that his committee was concerned with possible mishandling of classified information when Trump was apparently briefed on a North Korean missile test atHouse Oversight Chair Jason Chaffetz Will Not Seek Re-Electionhttp://wdiy.org/post/house-oversight-chair-jason-chaffetz-will-not-seek-re-election
90570 as http://wdiy.orgWed, 19 Apr 2017 15:59:00 +0000House Oversight Chair Jason Chaffetz Will Not Seek Re-ElectionArnie SeipelEditors' note Monday, 12:55 p.m. ET: Since this story was first published, we have added material from another former student and former law clerks of Gorsuch, as well as more information about Jennifer Sisk's political affiliations. On Tuesday, Gorsuch disputed the allegation himself during his confirmation hearing and explained the lesson he intended to teach. A former law student of Judge Neil Gorsuch, President Trump's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, alleges that in a course she took from Gorsuch at the University of Colorado Law School last year, the judge told his class that employers, specifically law firms, should ask women seeking jobs about their plans for having children and implied that women manipulate companies starting in the interview stage to extract maternity benefits. The concerns were shared in a letter , posted Sunday evening by the National Employment Lawyers Association and the National Women's Law Center, written by Jennifer Sisk, a 2016 graduate of theAmid Charges By Former Law Student On Gender Equality, Former Clerks Defend Gorsuchhttp://wdiy.org/post/former-law-student-gorsuch-told-class-women-manipulate-maternal-leave
88959 as http://wdiy.orgMon, 20 Mar 2017 05:07:00 +0000Amid Charges By Former Law Student On Gender Equality, Former Clerks Defend GorsuchArnie SeipelA handful of top Republicans are calling on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from a federal investigation into whether Russia interfered with last year's presidential election, as top Democrats call on Sessions to resign. The demands come after reports that Sessions spoke to Russia's ambassador twice last year , while Sessions was working as a top adviser and surrogate for Donald Trump's presidential campaign. The news was first reported by The Washington Post and has since been confirmed by NPR's Carrie Johnson. Sessions said during his confirmation hearings that he had no contact with Russian officials as he worked with Trump's campaign. Amid the calls for recusal and resignation, many leading Republicans are urging caution. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican who has been highly suspicious of possible links between the Trump campaign and Russia, told NPR's Steve Inskeep on Morning Edition, "I'm not interested in being part of a witch hunt, but I also will not be part of aRubio To NPR: No Witch Hunt On Russia, But No Cover-Up Eitherhttp://wdiy.org/post/senate-minority-leader-calls-jeff-sessions-resign-attorney-general
88287 as http://wdiy.orgThu, 02 Mar 2017 16:05:00 +0000Rubio To NPR: No Witch Hunt On Russia, But No Cover-Up EitherArnie SeipelFor the second time in as many days, a Senate committee's GOP leadership has bypassed a boycott by Democrats to advance President Trump's Cabinet nominees. The Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee boycotted the second meeting in a row to confirm Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to lead the EPA. Committee rules say that two members of the minority party must be present for a vote, but chairman John Barrasso, R-Wyo., suspended the rules so Pruitt's nomination could pass the committee with only Republican votes, and he passed 11-0. Pruitt will still need to be confirmed by the full Senate, which appears likely. A Democratic aide from the EPW committee says they recognize that the move is "allowable under Senate rules" even if it's unprecedented for the committee. Upon reconvening the committee, Barrasso said: "It is disappointing that they chose that course of action. We will not allow it to obstruct." Hearings on Trump's nominee to run the Office ofSenate Republicans Bypass Another Boycott By Democrats To Advance EPA Nomineehttp://wdiy.org/post/senate-republicans-bypass-another-boycott-democrats-advance-epa-nominee
86826 as http://wdiy.orgThu, 02 Feb 2017 17:27:00 +0000Senate Republicans Bypass Another Boycott By Democrats To Advance EPA NomineeArnie SeipelUpdated 1:15 p.m. ET A day after Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee boycotted votes to advance the nominations for President Trump's nominees to lead the departments of the Treasury and Health and Human Services, the panel's Republicans met in a surprise meeting Wednesday morning and voted to suspend committee rules to vote on those nominees without Democrats present. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the chairman of the Finance Committee called the Democrats' boycott "the most pathetic thing." Opening the meeting, Hatch said, "We took some unprecedented actions today due to the unprecedented obstruction on the part of our colleagues." Democrats consider the move in violation of longstanding rules on the finance committee, which require one member of each party present. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, posted a photo of empty seats in the committee room and said the Democrats were standing with people "hurt by the abusive practices of Mnuchin's bank." Democrats boycotted yesterday, sayingSenate Republicans Defy Democrats' Boycott To Advance Trump Nominees http://wdiy.org/post/senate-republicans-defy-democrats-boycott-advance-trump-nominees
86752 as http://wdiy.orgWed, 01 Feb 2017 16:30:00 +0000Senate Republicans Defy Democrats' Boycott To Advance Trump Nominees Arnie SeipelUpdated at 1:50 p.m. ET. Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee boycotted planned votes on Tuesday morning to advance the nominations of two Trump Cabinet nominees. The committee was to begin voting at 10 a.m. on the nominations of Georgia Rep. Tom Price to lead the Department of Health and Human Services and Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin. Committee rules require that at least one member of each party be present for a vote to proceed. If and when the committee does vote, their confirmations would still need the approval of the full Senate. In a press briefing Tuesday afternoon, White House spokesman Sean Spicer called the Democrats' actions "outrageous." "It's unfortunate Senate Democrats remain so out of touch with the message that the American people sent this past November," Spicer told reporters. "The people want change; President Trump is delivering that change." Price has been under a cloud of controversy for weeks over questions about whether he properlySenate Democrats Block Committee Votes On 2 Trump Nomineeshttp://wdiy.org/post/senate-democrats-block-committee-votes-2-trump-nominees
86701 as http://wdiy.orgTue, 31 Jan 2017 17:37:00 +0000Senate Democrats Block Committee Votes On 2 Trump NomineesArnie Seipelhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaVWRetR4jg President-elect Donald Trump is unabashedly praising Russian President Vladimir Putin, a day after outgoing President Obama issued tough sanctions against the country in response to alleged cyberattacks intended to influence the U.S. elections. In a tweet Friday afternoon, Trump responded to Putin's decision not to expel U.S. diplomats from Russia in kind after Obama ordered 35 Russian diplomats to leave the country — admiring the Russian leader's strategic approach over President Obama, which is the theme of Trump's ongoing praise of Putin. Earlier Friday, Putin instead signaled he would wait to decide how to move forward until Trump takes office, giving him someone in the Oval Office who has been much friendlier and quite generous with his praise — a stark break from decades of U.S. foreign policy. The Russian Embassy in the U.S. also retweeted Trump's post, which he pinned to his Twitter timeline so it would remain at the top. Trump alsoAs U.S. Confronts Russia, Trump's Admiration Of Putin Is Consistenthttp://wdiy.org/post/us-confronts-russia-trumps-admiration-putin-consistent
85438 as http://wdiy.orgFri, 30 Dec 2016 22:37:00 +0000As U.S. Confronts Russia, Trump's Admiration Of Putin Is ConsistentArnie SeipelPresident-elect Donald Trump doesn't seem to like suggestions that his victory over Hillary Clinton was anything but huge. Trump made false claims that Clinton's lead in the popular vote was due to illegal voting. He has chafed at recount efforts in states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — even though such recounts pose no risk to Trump's victory, since he won those states by tens of thousands of votes. And now, with a CIA assessment that Russian hacking during the campaign was part of an effort to swing the election Trump's way, he's hitting back hard at the intelligence agency — and renewing claims that his win was of historic proportions. The Claim "We had a massive landslide victory, as you know, in the Electoral College. I guess the final numbers are now at 306," Trump said in an interview on Fox News Sunday . A statement from his transition team on Friday, in response to reports of the CIA assessment, said, "The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggestFACT CHECK: Trump Falsely Claims A 'Massive Landslide Victory'http://wdiy.org/post/fact-check-trump-claims-massive-landslide-victory-history-differs
84675 as http://wdiy.orgSun, 11 Dec 2016 22:02:00 +0000FACT CHECK: Trump Falsely Claims A 'Massive Landslide Victory'Arnie SeipelPresident-elect Donald Trump won a convincing electoral vote victory on Nov. 8, but he is claiming falsely that widespread voter fraud cost him the popular vote. The latest totals show Hillary Clinton leading Trump in the popular vote by more than 2 million. Trump tweeted on Sunday afternoon, "I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally." He did not provide evidence to back up that claim, and Trump's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for more information. Trump's unfounded claim appears to have originated with the website Infowars and radio host Alex Jones, who reported that 3 million people voted illegally, citing flawed evidence. Jones frequently promotes conspiracy theories, including a false story in 2015 that President Obama was planning to use special forces to impose martial law in Texas that got traction with the state's governor for a time. Jones has also said the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School inTrump Makes Unfounded Claim That 'Millions' Voted Illegally For Clintonhttp://wdiy.org/post/trump-makes-unfounded-claim-millions-voted-illegally-clinton
84137 as http://wdiy.orgMon, 28 Nov 2016 01:17:00 +0000Trump Makes Unfounded Claim That 'Millions' Voted Illegally For ClintonArnie SeipelA few weeks ago, Donald Trump told a New Hampshire crowd he loves to cite the polls — when he is ahead. "When we do badly, I don't know about polls, right? But when we're doing well, I know about polls," Trump said in Sandown, N.H., on Oct. 6. Since then, Trump has fallen from about 4 points behind Hillary Clinton nationally, to about 6 points. But his positioning in battleground states that will determine which candidate gets to 270 electoral votes has become much more precarious. Trump is now lashing out against those polls. He told a Florida roundtable Monday morning that he is winning the race, and tweeted similar thoughts. Trump cites a couple of national polls, including one from International Business Daily/TIPP and another from USC/Los Angeles Times that show the race neck and neck nationally. But the preponderance of established national polls show Clinton with a consistent lead. The RealClearPolitics average currently has Clinton ahead by about 5 points. "I think we'reTrump, Down In The Polls, Tells Supporters To Ignore 'Phony Polls'http://wdiy.org/post/trump-down-polls-tells-supporters-ignore-phony-polls
82648 as http://wdiy.orgMon, 24 Oct 2016 23:52:00 +0000Trump, Down In The Polls, Tells Supporters To Ignore 'Phony Polls'Arnie SeipelWell, maybe. Democrats have fantasized about turning Texas blue for a long time. And Hillary Clinton sees a slight opportunity to do that. Some recent polls show the race between Clinton and Donald Trump there in single digits . A new ad from the Clinton campaign running in Texas touts her endorsement from the Dallas Morning News , which hasn't picked a Democrat for president in more than 70 years. The ad is only getting a limited run, and it seems utterly unlikely that Clinton could actually win Texas. Though the state's large Latino population , combined with where Trump has led the GOP on rhetoric about Mexicans and policy on immigration, could soon make winning Texas a real possibility for Democrats. There are other reliable Republican states where the Clinton campaign is investing more seriously, which is a sign of where the race stands. Clinton is positioned to win the White House if she gets just the battleground states that are already leaning to the Democrats. Her campaignIs Hillary Clinton Really Trying To Win Texas?http://wdiy.org/post/hillary-clinton-really-trying-win-texas
82348 as http://wdiy.orgTue, 18 Oct 2016 15:57:00 +0000Is Hillary Clinton Really Trying To Win Texas?Arnie SeipelDonald Trump has been raising doubts about the integrity of the election for months, but his running mate and other GOP leaders are taking a more cautious tone. "We will absolutely accept the result of the election," Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence said on NBC's Meet The Press Sunday. "Look, the American people will speak in an election that will culminate on November the 8th. But the American people are tired of the obvious bias in the national media." Trump had recently been putting the emphasis of his "rigged" message less on actual voter fraud and more on the idea that the media is making it impossible for him to win by reporting on allegations of sexual assault, which Trump calls "phony." "The election is being rigged by corrupt media pushing false allegations and outright lies in an effort to elect Hillary Clinton president," Trump said at a rally in Bangor, Maine, on Saturday. "We are going to stop it. We are not going to back down." Then on Sunday afternoon,Mike Pence: 'We Will Absolutely Accept The Result Of The Election'http://wdiy.org/post/mike-pence-we-will-absolutely-accept-result-election
82275 as http://wdiy.orgSun, 16 Oct 2016 17:32:00 +0000Mike Pence: 'We Will Absolutely Accept The Result Of The Election'Arnie SeipelUpdated at 10:20 p.m. ET Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has had a strained relationship with Barack Obama, but he's putting in time to get off on the right foot with whoever succeeds the president. Netanyahu met privately with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for more than an hour at Trump Tower in New York on Sunday morning. Netanyahu met with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for about 50 minutes Sunday evening. The Trump campaign released a summary of the GOP nominee's meeting with Netanyahu, which said in part, "Mr. Trump and the Prime Minister discussed the special relationship between America and Israel and the unbreakable bond between the two countries. The topics of military assistance, security and regional stability were addressed." According to the campaign statement, Trump promises to recognize Jerusalem as "the undivided capital of the State of Israel," as he has for months now. This would be a reversal of U.S. policy since the founding of Israel inIsraeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Meets With Clinton And Trump http://wdiy.org/post/trump-meets-netanyahu-and-affirms-recognition-jerusalem-israels-capital
81367 as http://wdiy.orgSun, 25 Sep 2016 18:21:00 +0000Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Meets With Clinton And Trump Arnie SeipelIt was 1995. Bill Clinton was president. His wife Hillary had been through a bruising political defeat after leading a charge to reform health care. And Forrest Gump won the Academy Award for Best Picture. So when the Gridiron Club, one of the oldest journalist groups in Washington, held its annual dinner, it must have seemed obvious how the first lady would make a splash — she would star as "Hill-ry Gump" in a video loaded with topical comedy. (Skits are a staple of the Gridiron dinner, which is supposed to be off-the-record, and given how the performances from politicians and reporters can go, they might wish that were honored better.) This week, Clinton's campaign went for an even more awkward style of comedy to reach millennial voters as she made an appearance on Zach Galifianakis' web series Between Two Ferns. A lot of those voters actually weren't even born yet when Forrest Gump became a big deal, so here is a guide to some of the jokes that were probably hilarious 21 years ago.WATCH: 20 Years Before 'Two Ferns,' Hillary Clinton Played Forrest Gumphttp://wdiy.org/post/watch-20-years-two-ferns-hillary-clinton-played-forrest-gump
81360 as http://wdiy.orgFri, 23 Sep 2016 17:08:00 +0000WATCH: 20 Years Before 'Two Ferns,' Hillary Clinton Played Forrest Gump